Electric fixture.



J. E. KEOUGH.

ELECTRIC FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1913.

Patented Apr. 6', 1915.

JAMES E. KEOUGH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application filed April 19, 1913. Serial No. 762,255.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES E. KEOUGH, of

panying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The present lnventlon relates to an electric fixture comprising a socket, so called, containing a terminal support for the ends of circuit wires and which is adapted also to receive the necks of incandescent lamps or other electrical devices by which the circuit may be completed through said lamps.

The object of my invention is to so construct the body of the socket that it will act to grip or bind the circuit wires and take up the strain which would otherwise come upon the binding posts which act to bind the terminals of the wires to the terminal supports.

Myinvention can best be seen and understood by reference to the drawings, 'in which Figure 1 shows the fixture or device embodying my invention in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a cross vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 shows the same partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section. Fig. 4 shows the device in side elevation with the inclosing cap or cover removed. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 and 7 represent respectively plans of socket members looking at the ad acent ends of these members and showing especially the means by which they may be made to cooperate with one another a will hereinafter be described. Fig. 8 shows in vertical section a modified form of device embodying my invention. Fig. 9 is an elevation in detail of one interior side of a portion of the appa ratus to which special reference will hereinafter be made.

In the drawings: .1 and 2 represent respectively circuit wires. 3 represents the main body of the socket with which these wires connect, the wires connecting with the terminals 4 and 5 respectively to which they are secured by binding screws 6.

The main-body 3 of the socket is made ofporcelain or other insulating material and has secured to it a screw-threaded sleeve 7 adapted to receive the threaded neck or terminal of an ordinary incandescent lamp (not shown) by which the circuit may be completed through the lamp from the points of the respective terminals. The main body of the socket is contained within a shell or casing 8 from which it is preferably separated by an interior lining of fiber or other insulating material. Connecting with the casing 8 is a cap 9 which fits down over the casing and is adapted to become secured thereto. The means employed for securing the cap to the casing may be any one, of those ordinarily employed, various expedients being practised, as is well; known to those skilled in the art. I prefer to employ, however, the well known expedient shown by which the cap may fit over and snap onto the casing without the necessity of a rotative movement of the cap or casing.

Referring now to the features which more essentially comprise my invention, attention is first directed to the auxiliary body member 10 located within the chamber of the cap. This member like the main body portion 3 is made preferably of porcelain or other insulating material and the outer surface thereof is preferably made to conform to the interior surface of the cap. As may be seen also, especially by reference to Fig. 2,

the circuit Wires pass through this member before connecting with the terminals on the main body of the socket. The member 10 on the inside, facing the main body of the socket, is hollowed out to form a cavity or chamber 11 into which extends a hollow stud .12 projecting from and preferably formed integral with the main body of the socket.

The circuit wiresare admitted to pass through the member 10 preferably by way of separate holes or openings 13. These holes are formed in that part of the member which forms the end of the chamber or cavity therein by which means the wires are admitted to pass through the, chamber and stud contained in it. The holes are also preferably so located in such alinement with the end of the stud 12 that the wires strung through the respective holes will necessarily be bent inwardly to enter the stud 12, the bent portion of the wire lying between the end of the stud and the adjacent portion of the member.

' portion thereof, where the stud projects from the body of the socket, are holes 14. Through these holes the wires are passed outwardly from the hollow of the'stud and extended to lie between the end of the main body of-the socket to connect with the terminals in the usual manner. Having the circuitous passage above described, whenthe member lO-is forcibly impelled in the direction of the main body of the socket, the bent wires'will beiirmly held between the auxiliary body or member 10 and the main body cent to the stud 12 therein, ,are formed in-:

cisions 15. These incisions are preferably oppositely arranged and the edges thereofare so inclined that the incisions will lie in the path of an imaginary groove passing through the points of the incisions.- (See Fig. 9.) Extending into these incisions to engage with the edges thereof are lugs 16 projecting from the sides of the stud 12 with the effect that as the member 10 is turned the lugs 16 engage the sides of the incisions in the manner of the thread of a screw and cause the member 10 to beimpelled in the direction of the main body portion of the socket, thereby securelybinding and holding the wires between the parts thus com-- bined. In order" that the member 10 may fit over-the stud ,without interfering withthe lugs projecting from it; or, in other words, in order that the lugs may enter the incisions as the member 10 is fitted over the stud, at-

tention is directed to the slots 17 having the same relative disposition as the lugs and messes ber 10 the stud 18 will bear against the end' of said member with a gradually increasing degree of pressure themore the member is turned and this action continues until the stud snaps into its socket. The stud and socket'are preferably made with somewhat sharp edges to prevent the stud slipping out of its socket upon the application of pressure tending to efiect only .a reverse rotary movement of the member 10,- yet permitting a reverse turning of the member 10 releasing the stud upon the application of pressure tending to break or force the mem er 10 away from the main body of the soc ret at the point of the stud. By reference to Fig.2 it will be seen that there is also contained within the chamber of the cap of the socket a further member 20 comprising a fianged'sleeve', the flange of the sleeve extending around beneath the inturned head of the cap and the body of the sleeve extending through the cap. lit is through this sleeve that the wires enter the socket and the chief function of this member apart from giving a' finish to the socket, is to insulate-the entering wires from the cap.

This member may assist, however, in binding and holding the wires, for it will be observed that the entering wires, in order to pass'through the openings 13 in the member 10, are bent outwardly to extend between this member 20 and themember 10 with the effect that when the cap is applied to the casing 8 the member 20 will be drawn 'against andbind the wires between the two members. While this is a desirable, it is not a necessary addition inasmuch as. the members 10 and 20 may be made integral as shown in Fig. 8. lin this figure a member 21 is shown corresponding with the member 10 shown in Fig. 2, this member being extended to fill the entire cap when applied to the cas- I ing and it is provided also with a sleeve 22 projectmg through the head of the cap which run from the end of the member 10, through the hollow of which the wires enter.

' reach the points of the incisions in said member. The two body parts of thesocket having thus beenbrought together, for combining and holding the wires between em, means is, further provided whereby hese parts may be securely held as against an accidental separation by a reverse turning of the member 10 which would result in a loosening of the wires. The means provided consists of-a lo'cking piece or stud 18 formed on the end of the body portion of the socket which" faces the member 10, in which is formed a socket 19 'forreceiving this stud when the two parts have been properly A furthermodification is also shown in Fig. 8 in the fact that the entering wires ass directly from the hollow of thesleeve 22 into .the cavity formed in the member 21 into which fits the'stud 12 projecting from the body of the socket, the wires thence extendingdirectly through the hollow of the stud 12 and outwardly through the openings 14 therein to extend between the end of the the adjacent portion ofthemember 10, and 7 also between the end of the member 10 and the main body of the socket. Whilethis is a desirable construction inasmuch as it gives an added security, I find in practice that the wires are properly bound and held forrelieving the terminals in'the construction shown in Fig. 8 where, as before described,

. 'the wires are bound and held only between 1 The main body portion of the socket is first placed in the casing 8. The cap 9 is then strung upon the entering Wires, after which the wires are passed through the member 20, thence separated andstruhg through the openings 13 in'the member 10, and thence passed through the stud 12 and drawn out through the openings 14 therein and connected with therespective terminals on the body of the socket. The members 20 and 10 are then drawn down as tightly as 'possible in the direction of the body of the socket and the wires stretched through them. Thereupon the member 10 is turned to a po sition where the locking piece or stud 18 will fit within the socket 19. The cap is then drawn down and fastened to the casing.

' In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 8 the cap is first strung upon the enteri-ng wires or any fixture supporting these wires. The wires are then passed through the member 21, thence through the stud 12 and out throughthe openings 14 therein to connect with the terminals on the body of the socket. The member 21 is' then turned in precisely the same manner as was the member 10 for securing it to the body of the socket for binding and holding the wires b'e-' tween the two members, The cap is then drawn down and secured to the. casing,-

covering the body of the socket.-

7 While the essential feature of my invention resides in the idea of binding and holding the wires by interlocking combination of separate members forming essential parts of the body of theisocket (or that part contained within the casing and attaching cap, in order that all strain may be eliminated from the cap, which when attached to the casing has sometimes been employed for 'impelling the members toward one another for binding and holding the bent wires passed circuitously through these members), yet the form and arrangement of the interior members above described is such that this very expedient might advantageously be used instead of the means inherent in the members themselves forv impelling them toward one another andgbinding and holdingv the wires between them. The construction first described, in which the members have an inherent self-locking combination, is of course i andpresenting an edge binding mea'nswhere y said member may 1. An electric lamp socket comprising in combination. a body provided with wire. termlnals, said body having also a hollow stud projecting therefrom with openings through the side thereof through which wires may pass from the interior-of said stud to extend over said body-a nd connect with tli'eterminals thereof, a memberfitting over said stud the wires against said body, and. an inclos ng cover.

2.. An electric lamp socket comprising in combination a body prpvided with wire terminals, saidbod having also a hollow stud projecting there cm with openings through the side of said stud through which wires may pass from the interior of said stud :to

extend over said body and connect with the terminals thereof, a member fitting over said stud and providing an edge binding the wires against said body, a casin inclosing said body, and a cap inclosing said member and connecting with said'casing.

3. An electric lamp socket comprising in combination-a body provided with wire terminals, said body having also a hollow stud projecting therefrom with openings through the side thereof through which wires may pass from the interior of said stud to extend over said body and connect with the terminals thereof, a member having a socket into which said stud extends, saidme'mber having an opening through whichwires may pass to the interior of said stud, said member presenting also an edge binding the wires against said body, and a cover inclosing said member. I

4. An electric lamp socket comprising in combination a body provided with wire .ter-

minals, said body having also a hollow stud projecting therefrom with openings through the side of said stud from which wires may pass to the interior of the stud to extend over said body and connect with thetermi-v nals thereof, an auxiliary body member cooperating with said stud and presenting. an. edge bindin the wires against said body,

and means or holdin sald member in an engiging position binding the wires as aforesal 5. An electric lamp socket comprising in combination a body provided with wire ter- 7 minals, said bod having also a hollow stud projecting there rom with openings through the side of said stud from which wires may pass to the interior of the stud to extend over said body and connect with the termi-v nals thereof, an auxiliary body member co-;.

operating with said stud and presenting an;

edge bindin the wires against said body,

' be maintained in an'engaging position binding and holding said wires as aforesaid, and a cover inclosing said member.

6. An electric lamp socket comprising in combination a body provided with wire terminals, said body having also a hollow stud projecting therefrom with openings through the side thereof through which wires may pass from the interior of said stud to extend over said body and connect/with the terminals thereof, and a member cooperating with said body for binding and holding wires passed between said body and member, said member and stud being provided with means whereby they may have a self-interlocking engagement with one another and maintain said member in an engaging position binding and holding said wires as aforesaid.

7 An electric lamp socket comprising in combination a casing, a cap attachable to said casing, a body located Within said casing and provided with wire terminals, said body having also a hollow stud projecting therefrom with openings through the side thereof through which wires may pass from the interior of said stud to extend over said body and connect with the terminals thereof, and a member located within said cap to fit over said stud and cooperating with said body for binding and holding wires passed between said body and member, said member and stud being provided with means whereby they may have a self-interlocking engagement with one another and maintain said member in an engaging position binding and holding said wires as aforesaid.

' JAMES E. KEOUGH. Witnesses:

JOHN E. R. HAYES, M. E. FLAHERTY. 

